Friday, July 28, 2006

Cardinal George update: came through surgery "very well"

MAYWOOD, Ill. (AP) -- Cardinal Francis George, spiritual leader to 2.4 million Roman Catholics as head of the Archdiocese of Chicago, had his cancerous bladder removed Thursday and came through the surgery "very well," doctors said.

"Things went very, very smoothly," Dr. Robert Flanigan said after the five-hour procedure at Loyola University Medical Center.

Doctors said tests would be conducted and that they won't know until next week what stage George's cancer is in.

"I fully expect that he will come to a full recovery and resume his schedule," said Dr. Myles Sheehan, a priest and George's personal physician.

At a news conference after the surgery, doctors said they were making what they called a "neobladder" to replace the cardinal's bladder but declined to elaborate, saying George did not want them to discuss the issue yet.

The 69-year-old George told reporters Wednesday that doctors had recommended bladder removal over just chemotherapy. On Thursday, Flanigan said the tube running from the kidney to the cardinal's bladder was partially obstructed, which was of particular concern.

"That's why we went ahead with the more aggressive approach," he said.

George was expected to be transferred to the surgical intensive care unit later Thursday and likely would remain in the hospital for about seven days, Flanigan said.

Prayers still needed. Deo Gratias that it looks like he will pull through fine.